HRH The Duchess of Cornwall hosts Big Lunch Community Awards at Clarence House

A prestigious awards ceremony took place yesterday at Clarence House for five Big Lunch communities each of whom were presented with an award recognising their contribution to their local areas. The Awards were presented by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron of The Big Lunch, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

The Big Lunch Community Awards were launched to acknowledge the positive and lasting impact that has been made to communities during the first five years of The Big Lunch, an annual get-together for neighbours, initiated by the Eden Project in 2009, taking place this year on Sunday 2 June.

At the ceremony HRH The Duchess of Cornwall met two members of each winning community, Big Lunch Ambassador, Barbara Windsor MBE, and representatives from The Big Lunch including co-founder Sir Tim Smit, who introduced the awards.

Long-standing Big Lunch Ambassador, Barbara Windsor MBE, said: “It’s been a pleasure to be part of The Big Lunch Community Awards and it’s a great honour to be invited to Clarence House to meet these five, incredibly deserving, communities.

“We’ve heard some truly inspirational stories, proving the amazing impact that holding a Big Lunch can have on communities and streets alike. It’s a marvellous idea and so simple too, you wouldn’t believe how easy it is to organise your own Big Lunch. I really hope the Awards and the positive legacy that having a Big Lunch leaves will encourage others from all corners of the UK to take part in this year’s event on 2 June. ”

The finalists

The five finalists, two from England and one from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, were selected out of 35 shortlisted communities from hundreds of applicants across the UK. In addition to the Award, each will also receive a commemorative bench to be placed in the heart of their community.

Finalists included Ethel Street in Neath, South Wales, which has taken part in The Big Lunch since 2009. Organiser, Emma Knight and 17-year old Joel Al-Hattab, attended the event at Clarence House. Situated in an area with one of the highest deprivation rates in Wales, Ethel Street’s Big Lunch has allowed neighbours to become closer and the sense of fear and insecurity has significantly lifted.

Big Luncher Jess Phillips, accepted the award on behalf of Westfield Road in Birmingham, which took part in The Big Lunch following a series of arson attacks on the street. The event created a positive, safe atmosphere for children in the community with The Big Lunch leading to further events and activities such as a ‘clean up day’ and ‘hanging basket making day’.

Also attending the event was Dr. Srihari Vallabhajousula, who nominated Rutherglen in Scotland’s Big Lunch at the South Indian Cultural Centre for the Award, which was selected for the relationships it forged within their multi-cultural community.

Organisers Martin Sawers and Silvio Solorzano held a Big Lunch in Attley Court in Northamptonshire last year which was praised for the way it used The Big Lunch to build links within the local community and for taking measures to help keep elderly residents active and engaged.

Paul Kerrigan and Conor McCarry, from Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, were presented with the final award, in recognition of their Big Lunch which played an important part in strengthening community relations between the residents of Ballycastle and neighbouring Rathlin Island.

Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of The Big Lunch, commented: “It’s been such a wonderful day and a great celebration of streets and communities that have been transformed as a result of holding a Big Lunch over the past five years.

“It just shows that a simple knock on a neighbour’s door can lead to much, much more – not only a day of food and fun but lasting friendships, stronger, more sustainable communities and, for many, an irreplaceable sense of security. Don’t be shy, download our free organiser pack from thebiglunch.com and rally your neighbours together to take part in this year’s Big Lunch on 2 June.”

The Lottery-funded Big Lunch, supported by MasterCard, Kingsmill and Asda, is an annual event led by the Eden Project which encourages neighbours to get together on one day a year for a few hours of community, friendship and fun, with 8.5 million people taking part last year. This year’s Big Lunch takes place on 2 June and packs including posters, invitations, a planner and other materials to help organise your Big Lunch, are available from www.thebiglunch.com.